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If you think Florida’s wildest inhabitants were found only in South Beach, think again.
On the suburbs immersed in the sun of Palmetto, a homeowner in Miami recently discovered that she was inadvertently waiting for the reptile version of a baby shower with 98 uninvited guests.
Eventually, she called to the Human Iguana Control experts, and what they discovered was extraordinary by Florida’s standards.
“We removed 98 eggs,” told Michael Ronquillo, owner of Human Igua Control, for Fox News Digital. “Three female iguanas had nests in Burrows that were interconnected, and each had placed its herd.”
Iguana was removed from the Miami cuisine after ‘falling in love at home’
In what Human Igua Control calls a “record”, 98 eggs were discovered and removed from a Miami woman’s yard this week. (Human Iguana Control Control)
The discovery, made after some inspections and trap configurations, turned into what could be a local record.
“Mostly the eggs we have ever removed from a single site,” Ronquillo said. “We couldn’t find another case of what was pulled out immediately.”
For anyone who is outside the sun, it may seem dramatic. But for the Southern Floridians, it is another day in the life of fighting invading savage life.
“Iguanas are more than one trouble,” Ronquillo said. “They pose health risks, cause landscape destruction and they dig burrows that can damage the infrastructure.”
In a notorious example, a corrosive event associated with Iguana in West Palm Beach caused $ 1.8 million after compromising a dam.
“We’ve seen them dig under the streets, sidewalks and sea walls,” he added. “And if they are digging into the backyard of your home, you may not know it until the land collapses under you.”
See it: iguana removed from the fireplace in Florida’s house: ‘Wrap everywhere’
Iguanas can whip their tails up to 30 mph and have sharp teeth and claws, beyond causing environmental damage in southern Florida. (Human Iguana Control Control)
Beyond property concerns, there is the issue of sewers.
“They will blow up about pools, schools, playgrounds. It is a health risk,” Ronquillo said. “We call from schools where children are playing under trees, and Iguanas are right there … Going to the bathroom. Constantly.”
Iguanas throws that many eggs are not just wild, it is efficient.
“There is a rate of 93% for Iguana eggs,” Ronquillo said. “If the client hadn’t called us, that neighborhood would have had a serious problem in just a few months.”
The reason this courtyard became an Iguana maternity ward? The main real estate.
“They will test a bunch of points,” he explained. “If the soil is too hard or too hot, they will continue further. But this place – soft soil, some shades, near the water – was perfect. So everyone was closed on it.”
As the owner of the home that discovers Iguanas in the country, what you do not do in this situation matters even more.
“The worst thing people can do is cover the holes,” Ronquillo said. “We tell our clients to flag burrows, use a small watering flag or something visible, and call them a professional. When the holes are covered, it compacts the soil and makes it harder for us to dig the right way and remove the eggs.”
Ronquillo’s team uses cameras and excavations by hand to track the Iguana tunnels.
“It’s not just digging a hole and pulling something,” he said. “You need to understand how they move and build their burrows.”
The breeding season usually goes from February to May, though Ronquillo warns that surprises are not rare.
“We have seen Iguanas children in July, August, and September,” he said. “So while it is more common in the spring, it can technically occur all year round.”
Iguanas are not native to Florida, they are invasive and their presence is tracked in the 1960s.
Human Iguana Control is a professionally licensed Iguana removed service in Southern Florida who specializes in removing occupying reptiles from private property. (Human Iguana Control Control)
“Iguanas initially arrived through the trade market of pets and cargo ships,” Ronquillo said. “They would swim on wood after hurricanes or released from owners who could not take care of them.”
Florida’s warm climate, abundant food sources, and the lack of natural predators created perfect conditions for them to bloom and multiply.
“They eat local bird eggs, destroy landscapes and dig scratches that damage roads, sidewalks and even dams,” Ronquillo explained. Their impact has been so heavy that Florida classifies them a public trouble and encourages human removal efforts.
If you notice the excavations, do not explode the shovel or worse.
“Do not try to remove it yourself, and do not definitely put poison in the holes,” Ronquillo said. “Simply flag it and call a licensed lifting company.”
These reptiles also come with integrated protective mechanisms, so do not try this at home.
“They have very sharp claws and teeth, and their tails can wipe up to 30 miles an hour,” Ronquillo explained. “If you are not experienced, you can end up in the ER. We have had clients try to grab one and end with serious injuries.”
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This homeowner in Miami made a call and prevented nearly 100 invading reptiles from joining the neighborhood.
“This client helped stop a whole new infection,” Ronquillo said. “If more people act so quickly, we can really make a difference.”
Ronquillo’s latest note: It’s not just about one backyard.
“If everyone does their part,” he said, “we can protect our environment and our neighborhoods. Like this client. This really makes a difference.”
